Chapter 15
Role of Natural Bio-active Compounds
as Antidiabetic Agents
Sandra N. Jimenez-Garcia, Lina Garcia-Mier,
Moises A. Vazquez-Cruz, Xochitl S. Ramirez-Gomez,
Ramon G. Guevara-Gonzalez, Juan Fernando Garcia-Trejo,
and Ana Angélica Feregrino-Perez
Abstract Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disease caused by secretion and/
or poor use of insulin, which produces an excess of glucose in the blood. DMs are
responsible for 1.5 million deaths per year and according to the World Health
Organization (OMS) it is estimated that there are 422 million people with DM
worldwide, growing dramatically in low- and middle-income countries. A poor
public healthcare system, a low purchasing power, and a lack of human resources
are just some of the conditions that cause the diabetic population to look for
supplements or adjunctive alternatives for this disease. On the other hand, the use of
plants to cure and/or prevent diseases has prevailed over time. In this sense, there
are various plants in popular use that have been attributed antidiabetic properties
since they contain bioactive compounds of secondary metabolites such as saponins,
polyphenols, terpenes, among others, which act by inhibiting enzymes involved in
the adsorption of carbohydrates, improving secretion and insulin sensitivity,
have antioxidant and hepatoprotective properties, among other mechanisms of
S. N. Jimenez-Garcia Á X. S. Ramirez-Gomez
División de Ciencias de la Salud e Ingeniería, Universidad de Guanajuato, Ejido de Santa
María del Refugio Celaya, Campus Celaya-Salvatierra, C.A. Enfermedades no Transmisibles,
Av. Ing. Javier Barros Sierra no. 201 Esq, C.P. 38140 Guanajuato, Baja California, Mexico
L. Garcia-Mier
Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad del Valle de México, Campus Querétaro,
Blvd, Juriquilla no. 1000 a, Delegación Santa Rosa Jáuregui, C.P. 76230 Santiago de
Querétaro, Querétaro, Mexico
MoisesA. Vazquez-Cruz
Departamento de Investigación y Desarrollo, KOPPERT MEXICO, Circuito el Marques Nte.
82, Parque Industrial El Marqués, C.P. 76246 Santiago de Querétaro, Mexico
RamonG. Guevara-Gonzalez Á J. F. Garcia-Trejo Á A. A. Feregrino-Perez (&)
División de Estudios de Posgrado Ingeniería de Biosistemas, Facultad de Ingeniería,
Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, C.U. Cerro de las Campanas S/N, Colonia Las
Campanas, C.P. 76010 Santiago de Querétaro, Querétaro, Mexico
e-mail: feregrino.angge@hotmail.com
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
D. Pal and A. K. Nayak (eds.), Bioactive Natural Products
for Pharmaceutical Applications, Advanced Structured Materials 140,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-54027-2_15
535
Role of Natural Bio-active Compounds
as Antidiabetic Agents
Sandra N. Jimenez-Garcia, Lina Garcia-Mier,
Moises A. Vazquez-Cruz, Xochitl S. Ramirez-Gomez,
Ramon G. Guevara-Gonzalez, Juan Fernando Garcia-Trejo,
and Ana Angélica Feregrino-Perez
Abstract Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disease caused by secretion and/
or poor use of insulin, which produces an excess of glucose in the blood. DMs are
responsible for 1.5 million deaths per year and according to the World Health
Organization (OMS) it is estimated that there are 422 million people with DM
worldwide, growing dramatically in low- and middle-income countries. A poor
public healthcare system, a low purchasing power, and a lack of human resources
are just some of the conditions that cause the diabetic population to look for
supplements or adjunctive alternatives for this disease. On the other hand, the use of
plants to cure and/or prevent diseases has prevailed over time. In this sense, there
are various plants in popular use that have been attributed antidiabetic properties
since they contain bioactive compounds of secondary metabolites such as saponins,
polyphenols, terpenes, among others, which act by inhibiting enzymes involved in
the adsorption of carbohydrates, improving secretion and insulin sensitivity,
have antioxidant and hepatoprotective properties, among other mechanisms of
S. N. Jimenez-Garcia Á X. S. Ramirez-Gomez
División de Ciencias de la Salud e Ingeniería, Universidad de Guanajuato, Ejido de Santa
María del Refugio Celaya, Campus Celaya-Salvatierra, C.A. Enfermedades no Transmisibles,
Av. Ing. Javier Barros Sierra no. 201 Esq, C.P. 38140 Guanajuato, Baja California, Mexico
L. Garcia-Mier
Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad del Valle de México, Campus Querétaro,
Blvd, Juriquilla no. 1000 a, Delegación Santa Rosa Jáuregui, C.P. 76230 Santiago de
Querétaro, Querétaro, Mexico
MoisesA. Vazquez-Cruz
Departamento de Investigación y Desarrollo, KOPPERT MEXICO, Circuito el Marques Nte.
82, Parque Industrial El Marqués, C.P. 76246 Santiago de Querétaro, Mexico
RamonG. Guevara-Gonzalez Á J. F. Garcia-Trejo Á A. A. Feregrino-Perez (&)
División de Estudios de Posgrado Ingeniería de Biosistemas, Facultad de Ingeniería,
Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, C.U. Cerro de las Campanas S/N, Colonia Las
Campanas, C.P. 76010 Santiago de Querétaro, Querétaro, Mexico
e-mail: feregrino.angge@hotmail.com
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
D. Pal and A. K. Nayak (eds.), Bioactive Natural Products
for Pharmaceutical Applications, Advanced Structured Materials 140,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-54027-2_15
535